Cinder and Sword
by LixaDeiton
Summary: AU, Nalu, Cinderella. The princess must marry to save her kingdom after her father's death, but a pink-haired, sword maker gets in her way. For the better, her adviser assumes.
1. Ember's Flicker

_It was then, with my head resting against his chest, and as sleep overcame me that I realised…. In my greatest times of sorrow and despair, it was my friends I could turn to. Even when they were not with me in flesh and blood, they were in my heart; a part of my_ own _flesh and blood._

 _The dragon let out a fiery snort as he fell asleep beside me, and all I could do was clutch his paw tighter, with my head resting against his snout._

 _"_ _Thank you, Igneel. You've shown me true friendship…"_

Levy shut the book and glanced down at the exhausted kids at her footrest. Most of them were fast asleep, while others held on to the energy they had left to listen to the ending. The only one wide awake, was the odd one out; a teenager with wild pink hair, completely intent on the entire story.

Levy giggled as the black haired one named Lilly, a boy, snuggled closer to her at the end of the story. He too was fast asleep.

"Again," Natsu demanded. Levy blanched and almost laughed louder, had she not been trying to stifle her giggles.

"I'll read it tomorrow night. Help me get the kids to bed," Levy ordered. Natsu groaned. He loved story time, but taking the kids to bed was a _whole different_ story. They were heavy and they never managed to stay asleep when he brought them to bed. It was mission, one that sometimes even Erza failed at, but the younger ones were too scared of her to bother at any sort of protest.

Speaking of which, where was the redhead?

Natsu stood up, practically shaking the kids on him, off. He stood up, grabbed Romeo and Wendy around the waists and dragged them to their respectful beds. One by one, Levy and Natsu managed to take the kids to their beds, tuck them in and make sure they were comfortable. Levy was quick to take the smaller kids and be gentler than Natsu was. He was reckless, but loving nonetheless. It was an appealing feature, had he not have the habit to burn things to the ground on a regular basis or .knock things to the floor or provoke Gray on a regular basis…. _Oh well_ ….

As Levy was saying her final goodnight to the youngest girl, Carla, Natsu pinched the flame dead with his fingers. All the candles were out, excluding the dull lamp in the middle of the room. They left it that way and left the room too.

"There you are flame-brain!" Gray exclaimed, his head peeking out of the roommates respectful room. His entire torso was visible and a closer inspection he was completely naked. Levy blushed like a respectful lady, hiding her face at the sight. It was a common occurrence to see the dark-haired male without clothes – he hated the stuffiness of it – but it remained unnerving to the women in the workhouse.

Gajeel, who came from the bathroom around the corner, noticed the exchange and shoved Gray into his room, grumbling about destroying women's innocence and putting on clothes.

Natsu rolled his eyes and walked into his room which he shared with Gray and Gajeel. Levy parted ways and went to her own room across from them, which she shared with Erza and Cana.

"Ye' really love strippin' naked fir the ladies, doncha, Ice-Princess?" Natsu teased, at a grumbling Gray who was busy straightening the sheets on his bed.

"How was I supposed the know Levy would be out there? I only heard your thundering footsteps," Gray mocked. "Nobody ever hears a princess when there's a monster around."

Both other men protested at that statement, but for various reasons.

"Did you just call Levy a princess, Popsicle pants?!" Gajeel exclaimed.

" _I'm_ not a monster, Mr Yeti," Natsu shot back.

Gray didn't respond to Natsu, but smirked at Gajeel instead. "I did indeed call Levy a princess. She is very delicate after all."

"OI! Don't go flirting with my woman!" Gajeel growled and tackled Gray into his bed, in an attempt to put the bastard _in-his-place_. _Wherever that was_ , Natsu thought with shrug. He gathered his night clothes and left to go take a shower.

Meanwhile at the castle….

"How is he?" Princess Lucy asked the medical practitioner. He had been in her father's room for a long time and the young girl was getting extremely worried. Her father had been ill for the past few weeks, and Lucy feared he may suffer the same fate as her late mother.

"Miss Lucy… I don't know how to say this, but… your father is under a lot of stress. That stroke you told me about was not a stroke, but a mild heart-attack. Your father doesn't have long to live, I'm sorry," the practitioner told her gravely. He turned his back and left the hallway; either due to embarrassment or his own heart ache, Lucy did not know.

She felt the grief in her heart before the tears fell. And with her tears, she fell to her knees as the anguish overtook her.

Lucy and her father had never been on good terms.

His only concern was marriage and money, neither intended for Lucy's own good. She shook as she rested on her knees, with her arms supporting her barely.

Lucy Heartfilia sobbed shamelessly.

A rush of adrenaline and a desperate seek of comfort led her outside, to where her mother's grave rested.

She stumbled over her dress, tripped and sobbed on her way there, and collapsed in a wave of anguish at her mother's grave.

Right now, she would mourn. Later she would talk.

Natsu winced for no apparent reason. Maybe he stepped in something sharp without noticing? The younger kids of Fairy Tail did have a habit of leaving things around….

Natsu shrugged off the feeling and went back to the room in the darkness. He had no trouble seeing with the help of the hearth in the hallway. The embers glowed softly and he almost wanted to get closer to it, to warm up.

He thought against it when he noticed the silence. The entire workhouse was quiet and the sky was dark with clouds. Everyone must have been fast asleep, whereas Natsu took his shower too seriously.

Natsu exhaled and snuck into his bedroom, careful not to awake the slumbering figures of his friends. That night, Natsu dreamed of a dragon named Igneel and a princess atop his back.


	2. The dragon figurine

"UGH! Why are we even doing this?" Natsu complained, his head thrown back as he gazed at the sky, while on horseback. "I thought it was _Gajeel's_ job to collect the metal from the ports."

Gray rolled his eyes and subtly adjusted the collar on his shirt. "Will you stop your complaining?! It's your fault we're doing this anyways!"

"How is it my fault?" Natsu asked, flicking his head to lock on Gray.

"You broke _another_ window," Gray deadpanned.

Natsu scowled as he looked away. A pout adorned his chapped lips as he glared at the ground. He was tired, so getting into a fight with Gray wasn't on his agenda. That was ironic, considering he picked the fights and never turned one down. Maybe he was becoming soft to his close friend.

"Yeah, well, if Erza never closed the window it wouldn't have happened," Natsu grumbled, but it went on deaf ears.

A shriek, a gunshot and an anguished cry for someone to stop, dulled Natsu's argument. He locked eyes with Gray, whose face was positively terrified. Natsu could imagine his own expression being similar.

"Let's split!" Natsu ordered and with that the two of them went their separate ways to follow the shouts. The sound of hooves in the opposite direction was heard, but Natsu didn't turn around to go and help Gray. The both of them were expert swordsmen; Gray could help himself. Of course, no one could beat Erza….

Natsu was focused solely on tracking down anyone or anything in danger. It was a born instinct he and his friends harnessed and that's what made them special.

The orphanage they lived at was also a workplace of sorts. They could do odd jobs around Magnolia and even the city of Crocus to raise money to keep the workhouse in order. It had become their sole purpose – the older ones of the orphanage, the ones who never got adopted, to keep the younger ones protected and to give them a home.

Erza Scarlett was a child slave and had to watch her friends die.

Gajeel and Juvia worked for the king as his spies.

Levy had almost no past to speak off, only to be found abandoned in a library building by the owner.

Cana's mother passed away and her father didn't even know she existed.

Gray's village was ambushed and destroyed – he was the last survivor.

Natsu and Wendy's parents abandoned them, or died, Natsu had no clue….

The rest all had their fair share, and for that very reason, the Superior-class, a group of friends set solely on making others happier with their skills, was born. Natsu loved being with them, but it scared him to think that he would one day leave the workhouse, Fairy Tail.

But now… now Natsu had a job to do.

He slammed the reins down on the horse's neck and kicked him in the side, moving him forward – faster, swifter.

His black horse, almost a navy colour, moved at an immense speed and Natsu had to cling tightly on to the reigns in hope of not falling off. Of course, his buddy Happy would never let him down!

Hopefully the blue horse would take that theory/statement literally and not become a stubborn bastard about it. Happy was… unpredictable at most, even with his dark colour that gave off a blue shine, that wasn't the weirdest thing about him. HE ATE FISH!

A horse ate fish… that was plain ridiculous.

Of course it was only one time when Happy went wandering and came across a stream and promptly bit into a fish, eating it, when Natsu came along.

Natsu jolts when Happy skids to a stop all of a sudden at the edge of a dip. A girl was hidden in the shrubs, covered in mud as she gripped on to her foot tightly, wincing occasionally in pain. He gaped at the state she's in and jumped off of his horse, going down to get her, the slope almost sending him falling to his behind. The mud cakes on his boots and he dips down so that he's eye-level with her. Any other time and any other man, would have admired her beauty in the golden silky locks and the flawless skin, but all Natsu can think about is the stranger's well-being.

"Oi, ya okay?"

The girl was startled at his voice. She obviously never noticed his arrival. She sat up, adjusted her dress and changed her demeanour instantly.

"Who are you?" She sassed. Natsu frowned and held out his hand. He would have been offended by her hostility, but he's used to it coming from his loud roommates and all the other supreme class kids at the orphanage.

"I'm someone here to help. Now do ya wannit, or can I just leave you here to become a swamp monste'?"

The blonde girl scowled, but allowed him to pull her up. She stumbled as she tried to balance on her one foot. Natsu noticed and without her consent lifted her up into his arms and made his way up the slope. He hoisted her up onto the horse, surprised by her lightweight body. The only person he knew who weighs about the same as her would be the petite Levy. He jumped up, sitting in front of her and immediately she clasped her arms around his firm waist. Natsu chuckles under his breath at her strange behaviour, but allowed it. This girl was strange….

The sound of people nearing interrupts the atmosphere and the girl curses loudly.

"Oh, damn, they're after me. Do me a favour and get me away from them! Please!" she begged.

Natsu veered Happy off the main road and before the girl knew it, they were running off a fast pace. Happy's always been a fast horse, and that's why Natsu's bothered when he seemed to keep a steady pace instead of going full out.

Trees whisked past them as they ran. The leaves crunched under Happy's heavy trotting and getting down from her adrenaline high was almost a relief. Her heart was beating way too fast and she could have sworn her blood pressure went up.

Soon, as they grew deeper into the forest, Natsu slowed the horse down. The blonde sat up straight, not holding as tightly as she was before.

The sounds of people have disappeared and they are now in a much more peaceful environment. They arrived in a clearing and the blonde took her time to admire the lush surroundings. Everything is green, down from the grass up to the leaves in the tallest trees.

She barely held back a gasp when her surroundings invite her.

"Woah… it's so… so beautiful. What… where are we?"

"Umm… in a forest?" Natsu suggested lamely. He shrugged indifferently. "Weirdo. Where else would we be?"

The blonde resists the urge to slap him, because that was not what a real lady should do.

"Your cheek is insufferable," she sassed.

Natsu rolls his eyes. She sounds just like Levy when she's annoyed. "What's your name, by the way?"

"I am Lucy, and you are?"

Natsu, being the unfocused doofus he was, misheard her terribly. "Well, Luigi –,"

"Lucy."

" – They call me the Salamander."

"The Salamander? What a ridiculous name."

Natsu scoffed. "Yeah, like Luigi is any better."

"It's Lucy, you imbecile."

"That's not very nice. I saved you back there!"

Lucy shrugged. "That doesn't make you less of an imbecile, but thank you nonetheless."

Natsu shrugged off the insult. "Speaking of which, what were you doing out here?"

Lucy grunted in annoyance at the memory. "Oh, me and a few friends were out hunting and then this group – Phantom Lord, I think – just attacked us out of nowhere! I had to run off with Plue, but he got scared and threw me off his back!"

Natsu frowned. This girl was a hunter? She didn't look like it and most hunters he knew were never dressed as vibrantly as she was. And what was a plue?

"Eh… are you sure it was Phantom? They usually don't come by these areas. It's Fairy territory!"

"Wait, there are fairies here?" Lucy asked. Natsu's laughter rumbled from his chest and he turned to face the girl behind him.

"Wha-at? No! Fairies! Haha, yes, of course!" he managed to say through his laughter. For a girl, this one was extremely funny. He enjoyed her company, to say the least.

Lucy sighed at the stranger's childish behaviour, but was soon distracted by the shout of her name.

"Lucy! Lucy, where are you!?"

The voice is familiar – it's one of her most trustworthy guards – Loke, nicknamed 'The Lion' for his aggression during the acceptance trials. Of course, back then he was unfairly ridiculed, blamed for a crime he never committed. Lucy came to his aid and helped him clear his name, but of course that came with a price. He is thus her personal guard for the rest of his remaining life.

Lucy jolted in place and shouts, "Loke! Can you hear me?"

His response is instantaneous and Lucy didn't even notice Natsu grab at his ear in pain. A black stallion came rushing into the clearing with a Knight on its back.

In a flurry of movement, Lucy dismounted herself from the horse, the same time Loke did the same. She rushed forward, pulling her friend into a heartfelt embrace. With a choking sob she explained what happened, and that the pink haired male had no ill-meaning towards her and saved her life. Loke thanked the rider, while Lucy stood close by, holding tightly to Loke's horse's reins – Sagittarius.

Once he stepped away, Lucy walked up to her saviour.

"Thank you, Salamander. I owe you my life. You saved me and for that I'll forever be grateful," Lucy said sincerely.

The Salamander grinned maliciously. "If you truly wish to repay me, why don't you come over to Fairy Tail for a visit? The others drive me nuts and you're good company."

"Fairy Tail?"

"Oh, it's the workhouse here in the neighbourhood. The kids there are awesome!"

Lucy nodded and said, "I'd love to." Then an idea struck her. She glanced down at the shawl around her shoulders, one charm standing out to her. It was the most intricate of the tinny dangling statues – the dragon. She folded her fist around the figurine and tugged. With a vicious tug, the figurine snapped off. She held it out to a dumbfounded male.

"I don't know when I'll see you again, but keep it on you. That way I'll recognise you for sure. There's a ball next week – a masquerade in the kingdom. Everyone's invited. I hope to see you there."

Loke stared dumbfounded at the blonde. She rarely gave a token or any form of affection to men and here she was, inviting a stranger to a ball? That was the exact one she was supposed to find her betroth-

Oh.

So that's how it was.

Salamander took the figure, stared at it for a few seconds and then shoved it down his front pocket.

"Be safe," he said, with a pat to her head. "I'll see you there quite soon."

"God be with ye."

"Farewell, Luce."

As the two parted ways, Lucy couldn't help but ponder….

Luce? She liked it.

-0-

It's official – I have no excuse. I'm very sorry. Punish me for my insolence!


	3. The Call

An ethereal stench hung in the air.

With desultory movements the princess moved through the hallways. She hung her head when she was once more reminded of her dying father. Due to an impending odour, the butlers and maids had placed pouches of lavender and dried rose petals around his chamber. It was sickening – not the perfume, but rather the thought that they were trying to hide the King's fate.

Leisurely, the princess moved on towards the smell. Despite the lavender pouches and the heavy perfumes, she could still smell the lack of hygiene surrounding the area.

Through the hallways, she moved head faced straightforward and posture stoic. Her face appeared gaunt in the dark, with only a few rays of sunshine slipping through the cracks.

What struck her guard as odd was when she slipped off her glove and opened the door with the exposed hand. Did she not realise she could possibly be infected? What good would it do the kingdom if their princess fell ill too?

In the middle of the room, on lush blue sheets, laid her father. He had a damp cloth resting on his forehead and a pale sleeping robe kept his body shielded from the cold. The princess took her seat next to the large bed, clasping her father's hand in hers.

"Hello, my dear," a hoarse voice croaked from the pale man.

"Evening father," Lucy responded, rubbing circles on her father's hand. Jude shifted in his bed, sitting up a little straighter.

"How was the hunt?" he enquired.

Lucy smiled in remembrance of her saviour. Without thinking she responded, "Wonderfully. It was the most eventful hunt I've been on in a long time."

Jude didn't take her wistful look into account and said, "That's good news. Lucy -," he coughed for a second, ripping his hand from her grip to shield his mouth, "Sorry. This cough is a beast…."

Lucy nodded sadly, handing him a silver mug filled with water. She watched as he greedily sipped the drink.

"Don't worry father. I promise this kingdom will prosper. I'll marry someone of worthy advisory. Fiore will not fall," Lucy promised dully.

She expected an approving nod, but instead received a look of utter surprise.

"Lucy, please… I have one request… if you wish to marry, marry the one you love."

"The one I… love?"

The world rolled off her tongue like sweet honey, and for the first time in forever she tasted to bitter aftertaste as the image of the dragon figurine keeper came to mind.

Loke smiled at her look of happiness, watching as her father went to rest once more.

* * *

The duo was met with a terrifying old man.

"WHERE WERE YOU TWO IMBECILES!?" Makarov practically shrieked when Natsu and Gray stepped over the threshold of the orphanage. Both men dropped their supplies unceremoniously on the floor next to the door and with a lazy stretch, Natsu responded, "Just saving butts and kicking ass. Phantom tackled us again."

"Yup, and Flamey left me alone to fight them!" Gray snapped.

Natsu reeled on his partner, biting back. "You wish! I went and saved their target!"

"How can I believe you, if you don't even have a description?!"

"It was an angel, okay?" Natsu responded. "A sassy angel," he muttered to himself.

"That doesn't even make sense!"

"Your hair doesn't make sense!"

"Says the guy with PINK HAIR!"

"It's SALMON!"

"Boys!" came the demanding bellow from the resident's swordswoman. Erza Scarlett was a looming terror in the luncheon hall that day, scaring the men out of their wits. (Or were they mere boys in her presence?) "Behave!"

"Aye sir!"

She smiled pleasantly, leaning back with her hands on the hilt of her sword. "Good. Get lunch. We're going for our daily spar afterwards. I hope you're ready."

Cold sweat ran down their necks in fear of the Titania's judgement. Natsu snapped out of it as soon as he remembered the promise of food.

A manic grin spread across his face and the Master shivered. He himself cowered in Erza's presence too.

"Well?"

Without further ado, Natsu and Gray bolted to the back of the dining hall, shoving food down their throats. That part was bearable, but the aftermath…

A shiver ran up Gray's spine and an uncomfortable heat pooled in Natsu's throat.

Even after 20 years, Erza Scarlet remained the Queen never to be dethroned. With a blade as sharp as a teenager's wit and a determination unrivalled by any beast, Erza could have easily taken up a job in the Royal Court…

Yet, there she stood, in her scarlet glory, making her peers lives…

… A living hell.

* * *

Oof!

Spitting dust, Natsu came up to his feet, a sway to his balance.

Erza was lashing at the two boys with fierce willpower and luckily a dull blade. (Thank the heavens for Gajeel sometimes!) Gray parried her next attack, barely dodging the nasty kick coming his way. Natsu jumped forward, sword aimed at Erza's breastplate, but she deflected it in a second before it so much as grazed the gold lining.

A double sided blade appeared out of what seemed to be thin air, and now with two swords Erza fought with even more swift agility. The pace increased and the two men were boys in the Queen's court of battle.

What took the cherry on top though was the final attack from Gray. He swung a kick in the direction of Erza's left in hand in which she held the new blade. It clattered to the side, dust flying at the impact.

Natsu took Erza's distraction in consideration, swiping near her neck. With a glare of silver, strands of red drifted to the ground.

Erza froze immediately.

What just… did she… was she grazed? The Scarlet Knight…. Touched by a blade that was not her own?

At their pathetic win, the two men collapsed to the floor in a tired heap, bloodied and bruised, panting heavily, Erza meanwhile was unscathed (excluding the slight shave to her hair), but in shock.

"No more! Please, Erza! No more!" Gray begged, trying to catch his breath. His plea fell to deaf ears as Erza focused on her new cut.

Natsu heaved, sprawled out on the floor. "Seriously… two hours? That's just ridiculous!"

Gajeel, Max, Warren and the workhouse Master Makarov were all laughing at their misfortune. While the rest of them worked at Fairy Tail too, they never really got the Erza treatment as such. She claimed it was for their good, but sometimes they believed Erza just needed worthy punching bags from time to time.

Her composure returned to normal in a second afterwards. "Very well, I suppose we must wrap up for today. Good job, boys. Better luck next time."

The boys heaved themselves up from the ground with loud groans. Their daily chores weren't done yet though.

* * *

Juvia Lockser hummed happily to herself as she danced around the kitchen and cleaned the dishes on her own. She was long lost in her own thoughts, but smiled as she heard the familiar sounds of people chattering outside.

Vague shouts of castration and something even worse drifted through the building. What followed was the outbreak of a violent banter and Juvia smiled to herself as she listened to her family go one with their crazy antics.

"Oh, darling, say you will, say you'll be… oh please, my dear, love me," Juvia sung to herself, hoping no one in particular heard her. She messed around with the water in the wash basins and an ounce of giddiness overwhelmed her and she splashed it out of the tub. She laughed for no reason, she danced and she sa-

"Juvia! Oi! Finish up! Girls night is going to start any minute now!" the resident drunk shouted from outside the door. Juvia allowed the few remaining plates to drip-dry and rubbed her hands off her apron. She smiled and walked out of the kitchen, being greeted with the main hall of the Fairy Tail workhouse, this specific section connected to the bar and grill for anyone who passed by as travellers. They were closed for the night and the girls used this to their advantage.

"Gee, you and Mira work too hard," Cana commented as Juvia made her way to the back of the room.

"Says the only girl who doesn't work," Bisca sassed, with a multiple of girls following suit in agreement.

"That," Cana stated, "Is where you are wrong, my dear Bisca." She tipped her glass in the green haired girl's direction, saying, "I take my cocktails sweet and my beers bitter. I take life as it comes, so why not relax and let it do what it wants me to."

"You think life wants you to sit around all day, playing cards and drinking alcohol?" Mira quipped, a sly smile on her face.

"Why not?" Cana sassed back. Mirajane only rolled her eyes, allowing Cana to smirk freely as if she won.

"Talking about people working too hard, Erza don't you believe you've been too tough on the boys?" Lisanna joked, a twisted smile in the redhead's direction.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Ooh! Let's play a game!" Evergreen suggested before the Titania lost her cool. As much as she wanted to be Queen Bee around the workhouse herself, it was sometimes best to stay on the Knight-in-training's good side.

"Such as 'wait and figure out until the boys realised we've noticed them spying on us'?" Bisca quipped slyly, after she noticed Alzack. All of the girls faced in the direction Bisca was looking at, noticing said intruder and a few others.

"THEY GOT US! ABORT MISSION!" Bixlow shouted to the rest of his novice team. Erza, only mildly upset, decided that they were not allowed to escape so easily.

"The only way to sort this is out is the battle of the pillows. Ladies assemble!"

With those words the girls shouted out battle cries, pillows raised in the air like swords.

As the battle was about to commence, a firm rap came from the main door, silencing them. When Mira opened the door, they were not expecting Royal Guards.

* * *

HEY GUYS! So… I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Comment what you thought and thanks for reading! ILY! Btw, why do you guys think the royal guards are there?


	4. The Lion's Help

# Cinder and sword #

Loke never told anyone where he was going when he saddled up his horse. He did this in complete secrecy, sneaking out at night, scaling the walls from his room situated at the west wing of the castle (nicknamed "The celestial" or "Tower of Heaven" due to the extremely large tower and since the leader of the group leading the original "Tower of Heaven" ordeal was now the main archive keeper there. Of course this was kept secret.)

Loke failed to notice the princess' eyes following him with her eyes as he snuck out. He was partly convinced she had already retired for the evening, and chose to attempt his escape plan then. It worked smoothly, despite the hitch concerning a royal noticing this.

He found himself running to avoid wasting time, the stables coming in to view very quickly. His trusted horse, a brilliant white mare, neighed in excitement. Nikola whinnied, hooves trotting the dust beneath her. Loke swiftly grabbed her reins, effectively calming her. He patted her snout for a moment or two before hoisting himself over the fence to greet his horse. Saddling her up took very little time. Within a minute he was complete in his task. Within the next minute he was racing his mare down the streets of Fiore, Crocus. Cobblestone streets made the sound of a horse hitting its hooves on it all the more louder. He awoke many citizens, but they were not who he wished to awaken. He wished to awaken the sky, the heavens, but for now he opted for opening the heart of a brilliant, while pessimistic, woman. If the King did not live, then what was the point of his subjects chanting "Long lives the king!"?

As a royal knight and a friend to the ever kind princess, he could not let them down.

Nikola chased the night with a lion on her back. She never hesitated in her strides and the two found themselves within the East Forest surprisingly quickly.

"Just a little more, boy," Loke whispered to the horse. "We're almost there."

Mira gasped when she saw who was behind the door. His strawberry blonde locks had grown, he was clad in a fine robes and he... just... looked better.

"Loke?!" Cana exclaimed, noticing the visitor.

It had been years since Loke had visited his old home ever since he joined the royal court of Fiore. Despite missing his friends here, never had once regretted his choice. Now though, he was struck with a pang of longing of his old life.

"Evening ladies. Sorry to interrupt, but it's an emergency," Loke stated.

"Come in, please, it is cold outside," Mira stated.

"Thank you. I would love to stay, but I need to find Porlyusica. When last has she been seen?"

"Porlyusica? But why are you in search of her?"

Loke didn't answer right away. He first removed the cloak around his shoulders, and like a tremendous weight had been lifted, he sighed, finally able to breathe.

"I am need of her help. Medical help from a master is the last hope to save the King," Loke replied, eliciting a few gasps from the others surrounding him now.

"What's wrong with the King?" Levy gasped, eager as ever to gather any information, needed or not.

"He's deadly ill. His healers are near useless in treating him. He suffers seizure after seizure. The princess is near complete withdrawal from communication."

"This is not merely about the King is it?" Cana quipped almost, need it be said, snarkily.

"Of course not. So will you lead me there?"

Erza, who had returned from chasing the boys away, spoke up. "I believe we should do such. As citizens of this country we must protect its leaders."

The plan and Erza's statement was cut off by a friend.

"Loke!" Gray shouted in surprise at the sight of his old partner. He had avoided Erza's assaults and snuck back to check out the brouhaha.

"Gray! It's been too long!" Loke greeted. With that piece of confirmation Gray made his way down stairs (half way naked when he got down.)

"What are you doing here?" Gray asked rather suspiciously.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Saving Kings and running away from princesses." Gray glanced curiously at him for that answer. "Should I ask?"

As if on cue an indignant shout came from outside in the form of a very pissed off princess.

"What!? Is it throw Lucy off your back day or what? Plue!"

"And that be the princess I am running from. Excuse me for a second," Loke said as he left the room, leaving a few (rather everyone) confused. Outside in the clearing he found Lucy on the ground, nursing her elbow as her white stallion surveyed the grounds, heading in the direction of the other horses. The blonde glanced up when the sound of metal on ground was heard and frowned, disappointment obvious in her expression.

"Gee," Lucy grumbled, "Soo much for my amazing entrance!"

"You falling to the ground on your hind is majestic enough for me," Loke announced as he pulled her up from the floor.

"Is that a compliment?" Lucy teased.

"Have I ever insulted you, Princess."

For some reason that snapped Lucy out of whatever trance she was in and as soon as she stood, she slapped Loke.

"What on Earth are you doing here? You don't leave the castle without my permission! What if you got hurt on your own! These are the woods I got attacked in like yesterday!"

"Yes. _You_ were attacked. I opted for saving you. Well now that you're here, you best stay by my side."

"Since when has my safety ever been my first priority?" Lucy queried with a tricky smile on her face.

"Since today. Let's go." Loke's tone was curt, but not rude. He gripped her wrist tightly, but not hard enough to bruise and tugged her to the entrance.

As the door opened, he and Lucy were invited by eager voices. His prior wish to see Porlyusica was granted as Erza said upon arrival, "Natsu, Gray and I will take you there. Follow me to the stables. Natsu should be there."

Needless to say Natsu had been there. He recognised Loke this time, claiming that it was unnatural to see him without a girl at his side and with Erza there it made sense.

Like a switch Lucy and Natsu began to converse. To see Natsu with such livelihood was natural, but the princess crawling out of her shell was a sight to behold. The group got their horses (Plue had to be summoned by a shrill whistle from Lucy) and off they went. In the dark of night is search of a magical healer. The ride wasn't near awkward, as Gray and Loke conversed and Natsu and Lucy joked and bantered. Erza occasionally joined in on conversation, had been quite surprised to find that Lucy was of Royal blood. She had mistaken her odd behaviour for a friend of Loke's and had then shut up. Finding that Lucy was the princess didn't stop the boys. In fact, it prompted them to almost be more ridiculous than usual. They continued their ride and before they knew it saw the glow of a hut's light. That was where help resided.


End file.
